Salmon and birds killed in ‘tragic’ chemical spill on River Spey tributary
A devastating pollution event has wiped out significant numbers of fish, eels and birds in the Knockando burn, a tributary of the River Spey in Moray.
Recently, it appears that a chemical thought to be caustic soda has entered the water and “destroyed” various species.
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) is investigating potential contamination. Fly fishermen warn that the salmon population in the burn has been “destroyed” and could take years to recover.
Spey Fisheries Board manager Duncan Ferguson said the pollution incident, which affected two kilometers of the Knockando burns, was one of the biggest he had seen in his 36 years working on the river.
He said: “It is a tragic event.
“This is a really bad outcome and it didn’t have to happen.”
He said the salmon population could face a five-year recovery period and two kilometers of the burn area had been “destroyed”.
He said the chemical was thought to be industrially linked.
The pollution incident occurred during the peak period for fly fishing on the Spey and just 10 days after another pollution incident in the tributary Spey.
Previously, many salmon died because white paint was spilled on the Burn of Carron.
A spokesman for Sepa said: “Sepa is investigating a potential pollution incident in a tributary of the River Spey and is working to identify the source and impacts.”
